Pickwick Place
Pickwick Place (originally planned as Magnolia Mall and opened as The Pickwick Plaza) is a retail center located at Five Points South circling behind the Medical Arts Building (Hotel Indigo) and the building housing Black Market Bar & Grill restaurant. A 25,000 square foot open pedestrian plaza connects 20th Street South to Magnolia Avenue. The development contains 33,792 square feet of retail tenant space and 8,200 square feet of office space.
Pickwick Place was developed beginning in 1981 by Kahn Properties. Owner and president Donald Kahn, a heart surgeon, began acquiring $10 million worth of properties in the area and planning a European-style shopping center which would include a parking deck, for a $3 million budget. The hotel redevelopment was a partnership between Kahn and other investors. Terry Belcher served as development manager for the project. The $9 million project was supported with funds from Birmingham's Historical Preservation Development Authority.
The development was designed by Kidd, Plosser, Sprague architects in an Art Deco style inspired by the former Pickwick Club, a dance club which operated nearby in the 1930s-1950s. The plaza's two pedestrian entrances, on 20th Street and Magnolia Avenue, were framed with stuccoed pediments with the name of the project in purple neon lights. Large stuccoed planters were trimmed with teal-colored ceramic tile. Tiled ramps and red brick steps were lined with purple handrails. Openings facing into the plaza were shaded with cloth awnings. Violet for retail tenants and dark green for the hotel.
Development of the center included the $140,000 renovation of the Medical Arts Building to convert it into a hotel, originally called the Pickwick Hotel. A tiled plaza was built connecting the hotel to the 4-level 5 Points South Parking Deck, with several retail spaces and meeting rooms for the hotel. Kahn's daughter Gayle served as property manager with Joe McElroy of the Still Co. of Chattanooga, Tennessee as leasing agent. The developers hoped to recruit national retailers to the project. Original tenants included Rube Burrows Food & Spirits, Birmingham Apothecary, Concorde Salon, Cosmo's Pizza and Galileo's Ice Cream.
By May 1987 Kahn observed that his hopes of attracting national upscale retail tenants had not born fruit, with only The Pink Tulip gift shop and The Computer Image having signed leases; but he saw the opportunity for the project to succeed as a restaurant and entertainment destination. Zach Hutto of Campco Real Estate Group took over leasing. By that point, additional bar and restaurant tenants included 88s piano bar, Roma's Restaurant, Caps Grill, and Cafe Kira.
In 2008 Gayle Kahn, as president of Kahn Properties, began a remodeling of Pickwick Place. Changes included replacing tile on the walkways with stained concrete, removal of awnings, planters and decorative archways to open up the space, and the addition of new signage, lighting and security cameras. The name was changed at that time to "Pickwick Plaza" to reflect general usage.
After Kahn's death in 2015, his real estate portfolio continued to operate as Kahn Holdings, with a subsidiary, KH Management in charge of leasing and operation.
Retail tenants
- 1005 20th Street South: Sleek Sports Bar (2017-), former location of Rube Burrow's Food & Spirits (1980s-1996), Nirus, Surin on 20th, LaJaras (1999), Halfshells (2000-2006), World of Beer (2012-November 30, 2016), Magic City Brew (November 30-December 31, 2016)
- 1007 20th Street South: former location of Scott's Apothecary (1964)
- 1009-1011 20th Street South: former location of Allright Auto Park parking lot (1964)
- 1011 20th Street South: Exclusive Apparel (2015-), former location of Five Points Radio Service (1949), Texas Taco & Chili Co. (1989-1993), Caribbean CookHouse (1993-1995), The Sidewalk Cafe (1997), Buffalo Cafe, Sabor Tropical (2001-2014)
- 1015 20th Street South: former location of Marie's Coffee Shop (1964)
- 1017–1025: Medical Arts Building (built 1931)
- 1017 20th Street South: T-Bones restaurant (Anthony Crawford 2014-), former location of Subway, Purple Onion, Roxy's Country Cooking (2008), Camp Taco (2009-2011) T-Bones (2014-)
- 1019 20th Street South:
- 1021 20th Street South: Phone Clinic (2015–), former location of India Shoppe (-2013)
- 1023 20th Street South: Hotel Highland (formerly Pickwick Hotel) entrance
- 1023B: The Daily Cup (Fall 1996-1998), Pickwick Pub (Fall 1998-), Millie's & Billy's Pickwick Pub
- 1025 20th Street South: Pho Pho (2015-), former location of Frostbites (1992), Sakura, Sekisui,
- 1031 20th Street South: former location of Mayberger's Variety Shop (1964), Bob Lilly's Popcorn Pad (1984)
- 1033 20th Street South: former location of Almost Famous (1980s)
- 2008 Magnolia Avenue: Southside Cellar Brewing Company, Good People Brewing Company (2008-2010)
- 2012 Magnolia Avenue:
- suite R1: Hush Lounge (Ryan Pryor 2019-), former location of Frankie's (1980s-1990s), India Palace (Summer 1995-) Southside Cellar / Cellar Beer Garden (-2000), Millie's & Billy's Lounge, Mind Games Lounge (2000-2004), Millie's & Billy's (2004-), D's Tamales (2018-2019)
- suite R2: former location of Forstall Art Center (1990-2000)
- suite R3 (1,722 SF): Slide Cafe (Raquel Ervin 2023–), former location of Cosmo's Pizza (1986–2016), Libertine's Pizza Co. (2018), Iron City Pizza Co. (May 2019-), Underground Vegan (Khalilah Sowell 2021–2022)
- suite R4: Stephen Gregory barber shop (2018-)
- suite R5-R6: The Eighty Eight piano bar (2021–), former location of Eighty Eights piano bar (1987–2000)
- suite R7: former location of Battle Zone (Summer 1997-)
- suite R8 (2,610 SF): KH Management, former location of Second Chance Outfitters (1991), Schaeffer Eye Center (2000)
- suite R10: former location of The Computer Image (1987–2017)
- suite R11 (900 sf): Fore Birmingham (November 2023–), former location of Kahn Properties (1987-)
- suite R13: former location of Jazz Underground / Underground Jazz (1980s), Upside Down Plaza (1987-2017)
- Highland Audio Video (2000)
- Lion & Unicorn (1992-?)
- Investigations Inc. detective agency (2000)
References
- Shatz, Howard (July 31, 1984) "Will Help 5 Points South developer says; merchants upset." The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Barber, Dean (August 15, 1984) "Magnolia Mall will help area, developer says." The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Levinson, Julie (November 12, 1985) "Pickwick Place at Five Points South hated, loved" Kaleidoscope. Vol. 24, No. 19, p. 1
- Chandler, Grace Fiorella (September 29, 1986) "Pickwick Place is his dream come true: Local physician spent four years making it happen." Birmingham Post-Herald - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Shatz, Howard (May 22, 1987) "Pickwick Place takes new direction as restaurant-entertainment center." The Birmingham News - via Birmingham Public Library Digital Collections
- Nicholson, Gilbert (August 23, 2002) "'Pickwick Club' provided name for hotel, retail plaza." Birmingham Business Journal
- Cooper, Lauren B. (February 1, 2008) "Five Points South's Pickwick Place to get overhaul." Birmingham Business Journal
- Coman, Victoria L. (March 5, 2008) "Pickwick Place in Five Points South getting new name, new look." The Birmingham News
- Swant, Martin (May 8, 2012) "World of Beer plans Birmingham locations." The Birmingham News
External links
- Pickwick Place at kh-mgmt.com